Construction for stoves



Jan. 2, 1951 D. P. OKEEFE CONSTRUCTION FOR STOVES Filed March 9, 1945 IN V EN TOR. 04mm 0/655:

W'WM Patented Jan. 2, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CONSTRUCTION FOR STOVES Daniel P. OKeefe, Los Angeles, Calif. Application March 9, 1945, Serial No. 581,889

Claims. 1

This invention has to do with construction for stoves and it is a general object of the present invention to provide a construction for effectively protecting the controls or instruments of a stove against becoming overheated.

Ordinary cooking stoves such as electric stoves or gas stoves commonly used in homes are boxlike structures, including one or more cooking compartments and a top burner compartment. The front of such a stove is usually flat or substantially so and is formed primarily by the doors or closures of the cooking compartments and, adjacent the top of the stove, by a panel which is at the front of the burner compartment and which carries the controls and possibly instruments incidental to the stove construction. The doors of the cooking compartments are generally such as to allow some heat to escape and when they are open considerable heat escapes. Any heat escaping from the compartments passes up at the front of the stove and with the usual stove construction heats the operating or control parts or any instruments that may be present in the panel above referred to. It is common in stoves of the general character referred to that a drip tray or trays be provided in the bottom of the burner compartment, such trays ordinarily being accessible through suitable openings provided in the panel that I have re ferred to.

It is a general object of my present invention to provide heat deflecting means at the panel provided at the front of the stove to occur at the front or fronts of the tray or trays occurring at the panel, so that heat flowing up the front of the stove is deflected away from the controls or instruments provided at the panel.

Another object of my present invention is to provide a stove construction of the general character referred to involving a tray construction which is effective in deflecting heat at the front of the panel through which the tray passes so that heat flowing up at the front of the stove is deflected away from the instruments or con trol members located at the panel above the tray.

It is another object of my present invention to provide a simple, inexpensive heat deflecting means at the panel of a stove front which does not require any special construction or formation of the panel and which does not materially change or interfere with the appearance or ornamental design of the general stove construction.

The various objects and features of my invention will be fully understood from the following detailed description of typical preferred forms and applications of my invention, throughout which description reference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a perspective view of the front or forward end portion of a drip tray for a stove embodying the construction that I have provided by my present invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the upper portion of a typical console type stove or cooking range incorporating the construction of my present invention.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detailed sectional view of the construction shown in Figs. 1 and 2, being a view taken as indicated by line 33 on Fig. 2 and Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing a modified form of construction provided by my invention.

My invention can be applied to or incorporated in cooking stoves or ranges generally, and it can be applied most advantageously to stoves of the type ordinarily referred to as the console type, and therefore I have illustrated it applied to that type of stove. The invention can be incorporated in stoves of various designs and of varying types, for instance, it can be employed in oil stoves, electric stoves or ranges, or in gas stoves or ranges.

The stove illustrated in the drawings, being of the console type, is a box-like structure including, generally, a front A, sides B, a top C, and various other elements or parts common to structures of this character. Being of typical console construction the front A is substantially flat and is formed of various parts which are fiat and arranged flush with each other. In accordance with common stove construction I have shown the front A formed of two doors I6 and H which cover the lower or cookingcompartments of the stove and there is a panel 1 2 arranged across the upper portion of the stove immediately above the doors. In the particular stove illustrated I have shown hinged covers I3 forming the top C and these fit into a recess in the upper edge of the panel l2. It is to be understood that the invention can be applied to a stove wherein the top instead of having hinged covers is plain and has the usual burners exposed, ready for immediate use.

In the stove illustrated there are two lower or cooking compartments and for purpose of example one of these may be considered an oven and the other a broiler. It is to be understood that the invention can be applied to a stove involving a single cooking compartment which may be either a broiler or an oven or a compartment for any other cooking or heating purpose.

In the drawings the cooking compartment covthe openings 30.

ered by the door I l is designated by numeral l3 and may be considered either a broiler compartment or an oven.

Immediately above the cooking compartments there is an upper or burner compartment 16, the front of which is covered by the panel 12. The compartment [6 accommodates the usual burners (not shown) and may be shaped and proportioned to accommodate the necessary structural elements incidental to theburners. It is to be understood that the interior of the stove can be divided into various desired compartments through suitable partitions. In the drawings, a partition I! is shown separating the cooking compartment l3 from the upper or burner compartment I6.

In accordance with common stove construction a gas manifold 18 extends across the front of the stove through the forward portion of the compartment I6, and suitable gas valves or cocks 19 are supplied from the manifold and deliver gas to mixing devices 29 which supply the necessary -mixture of gas and air to the burners located in the compartment Hi. In accordance with common stove construction the stems 2| of the cooks I!) project through the panel [2 and carry operatingmembers or knobs 22. The operating knobs being thus located at the front of the panel i2,

which is located at the upper portion of the front of the stove, are conveniently accessible for operation. The panel i2 is flat or substantially so and is vertically disposed to be flush or substantially flush with the fronts of the doors. In addition to the operating knobs other control elements such as heat control means, or the like,

may be provided at the front of the panel 12. When I refer to a control element or controls I ;mean to include not only knobs for operating gas cocks or for operating electrical controls, but any other control member or members or instruments which may be required or desired in a construction of the character under consideration.

In accordance with my invention I provide a baflie or heat deflector at the front of the stove between the controls at the panel and the lower cooking compartments and I make such deflector in the form of a projection projecting forward from the front face of the panel l2, which face is generally a flat vertical face.

In the preferred form of my present invention I make the heat deflector a part of the drip tray or trays provided in the burner compartment of the stove.

In the drawings I have shown a typical stove construction wherein drip trays 55] are slidably supportedin the lower portion of the burner compartment 16 to be operable into and out of position in that compartment through openings 81 provided in the lower portion of the panel i2. In the particular forms of the invention illustrated there are two trays t. In Fig. 2 I show an arrangement wherein the two trays together extend across substantially the entire width of the stove front whereas in Fig. f I show an arrangement wherein the trays are narrower and are spaced a substantial distance apart requiring a supplemental deflector construction that I will hereinafter describe.

The trays se in accordance with common stove construction are shallow sheet metal elements supported through suitable construction in the stove to slide horizontally into position through In accordance with the usual tray construction the forward or front wall 8| of each tray occurs at or close to the front of means between the trays.

the panel l2 when the tray is in position in the stove, and an ornamental cover plate 82 is carried by the front wall of the tray to overhang and conceal the tray opening in the panel 12. In the construction illustrated the plate 82 is secured to the wall 8| by screws 5|.

In accordance with my present invention the tray or trays of the stove, as above described, are provided with forwardly projecting deflectors 32. Where there are two trays, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, the deflectors 32 extend continuously across the front of the trays and where the trays have front plates 82 such as I have described the deflectors project forward from those plates a substantial distance or to a point well forward of the controls at the front of the panel, as I have clearly shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings.

In accordance with the preferred construction the deflectors are integral extensions or projections on the plates 82 or on the fronts of the trays and the lower sides of the deflectors are curved,-as at 56, so that heat-striking them :as it flows up at the front of the stove is deflected up. and .out,-as indicated by the :arrows in'Fig. 3. The tops-or upper sides of the deflectors can beof any desired configuration, that is, they can he plain flat surfaces-or they can be-"provided with suitable-recesses or depressions 93 to form finger gripsto facilitate. grasping by theflngers of the operators-sothat the deflectorsnot-only serve as heat deflectors but also as convenient handles .by which thetrays can be operated.

In the case of the construction shown in Fig.2, where the two trays '58 extend substantially across the entire front of the stove, there isbut .a small gap between the .deflectorson the front of the trays, .making it unnecessary to supplement the deflectors of the trays by any-other construction.

In the form of the invention shownin Fig. 4 the trays .are far enough apartand there are controls or parts at the panel above the gap between the deflectors of the trays, -making it advantageous to provide supplemental deflecting In that case it is advantageous to provide a fixed or permanent .deflector z32 on the front of-the=-panel "l2 to bein line with the deflectors of the trays and toeflecti-vely fill the space or gap between -.the-deflectors of the trays so that practically all of the heat flowing-up at the front of the stove-is deflected away from the panel where the controls .are located. The deflector 32" may be like the deflectors 32 in shape, designand proportioning,

or like the deflectors 32 and the plates82, so that the supplemental deflector together with the deflectors of the trays form a uniform, 'sightly structure across the front ofthe stove,as shown inFig. 4 of the drawings.

By my present invention -I have provided :a stove construction by which the controls at-the panel are-effectively protected against overheating without the necessity of providing any special formation or construction for the panel itself. I accomplish effective heat'deflection bysimply providing the deflectors on the front 10f the trays and since the trays are parts that can be very easily removed or interchanged I can, in practice, supply various stoves with deflectors of various shapes, designs, 'orappearances and thus effectively varythe'stove design without appreciable change in construction. "It

effectively deflect-the heat whileithe lstove'is' in use, but that they provide convenient readily accessible handles for the trays, by which the trays can be operated when it is desired to remove them for cleaning or other purposes.

Having described only typical preferred forms and applications of my invention, I do not wish to be limited or restricted to the specific details herein set forth, but wish to reserve to myself any variations or modifications that may appear to those skilled in the art and fall within the scope of the following claims:

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A stove including a cooking compartment, a door at the front of the stove closing the compartment, a panel at the front of the stove above the door and having an opening, a plurality of control elements at the front of the panel, a tray operable through the opening in the panel, a heat deflector carried by the tray normally projecting forward from the panel and forward beyond the front of one of the control elements and located between the door and one of said elements, and a fixed heat deflector adjacent to and in alignment with said first deflector projecting forward from the front of the panel and forward beyond the front of another of said elements, said defiectors being immediately adjacent the door and the panel and together deflecting heat away from all of said elements.

2. A stove including a cooking compartment, a door at the front of the stove closing the compartment, a panel at the front of the stove above the door and having an opening, a plurality of control elements at the front of the panel, a tray slidable through the opening and normally located in the stove behind the panel, a heat deflector carried by the front of the tray to normally project forward from the panel between the door and one of said elements to a point forward of said element, and a fixed heat deflector projecting from the front of the panel below another of said elements to a point forward of said other element, the deflectors being elongate members arranged horizontally and in substantially end to end relationship at the front of the panel immediately adjacent the panel and door and together deflecting heat from all of said elements.

3. A stove including a cooking compartment, a door at the front of the stove closing th compartment, a panel at the front of the stove above the door and having a tray opening therein, a control element at the front of the panel, a tray engaged through the opening and supported in the stove behind the panel, a heat deflector supported by the tray and normally projecting forward from the panel, and forward beyond the control element and located between the door and said element, the deflector being immediately adjacent the door and panel and the lower side of the deflector being curved to extend upwardly and outwardly, and means stopping the tray fully engaged in the stove and supporting the deflector in operating position relative to the control element including a cover plate fixed on the tray and normally engaging the front of the panel above and below the opening to completely close the opening.

4. A stove including a cooking compartment, a door at the front of the stove closing the compartment, a panel at the front of the stove above the door and having an opening, a plurality of control elements at the front of the panel, a tray slidable through the opening and normally located in the stove behind the panel, a heat deflector carried by the front of the tray to normally project forward from the panel and forward beyond the control elements between the door and one of said elements, and a fixed heat deflector projecting from the front of the panel and forward beyond the control elements below another of said elements, the deflectors being elongate members immediately adjacent the door and panel and arranged horizontally and in substantially end to end relationship at the front of the panel, the lower sides of the deflectors being curved and the deflectors together deflecting heat from all of said elements.

5. A stove including a cooking compartment, a door at the front of the stove closing the compartment, a panel at the front of the stove above the door and having an opening, a plurality of control elements at the front of the panel, a tray slidable through the opening and normally located in the stove behind the panel, a plate carried by the front of the tray to cover the opening in the panel, a heat deflector carried by the plate to normally project forward from the panel and forward beyond the control elements between the door and one of said elements, and a fixed heat deflector projecting from the front of the panel and forward beyond the control elements below another of said elements, the deflectors being elongated members located immeditely adjacent the door and panel and arranged horizontally and in substantially end to end relationship at the front of the panel to deflect heat from all of said elements.

DANIEL P. OKEEFE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 86,578 Olhaber Feb. 2, 1869 1,505,273 Maul Aug. 19, 1924 1,604,503 Tinnerman Oct. 26, 1926 1,708,469 Clause Apr. 9, 1929 1,772,870 Lindemann Aug. 12, 1930 1,810,810 Antrim June 16, 1931 1,981,084 Teller et a1. Nov. 20, 1934 2,013,802 Hobson Sept. 10, 1935 2,021,854 Dexter Nov. 19, 1935 2,073,966 Kahn Mar. 16, 1937 2,237,795 Shroyer Apr. 8, 1941 2,339,398 Hennessy et al Jan. 18, 1944 

